Gas-engine starter.



J. J. OLEARY. GAS ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25,.1911 v 1,01 7,453. Patented Feb. 13,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. J. O'LEARYw GAS ENGINE STARTER. I

APPLICATION FILED PEB.25, 1911. 1,01 7,453. Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

2 BHEETSBHEET 2.

UNITED STATES- Gas-Enema srnnrnn; 7

'ToaZZ whom-it may-concern: I y I Be it known that I, J OHN J.OLnrunncitizen of the United States, residing-at Healdsi .burg, inthecounty of Sonoma and State, of.

Improvements in GasEngine Starters, of which the following is aspecification.

--This invention relates to starting. devices and particularly to ameans for startingthe engine shaft of self-propelledvehicles:o

'It is the object of thepresentinvention to provide a power conservingapparatus which may be mechanically energized by the driven 1 shaft ofthe engine when the latter is run- 115 ning; which; will automaticallyuncouple itself, from a controlling device when .thepower conservingelements have been sufe ficiently wound or energized; which is siniple,reliable and effective in operation and 2a which may be readily mountedor: dismounted in position upon the shaft. o g

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combinationof as hereinafter more full described and claimed, having reference tothe accompanying drawings, which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsection through the starting-devicawith some of the parts in elevation.Fig. 2 is a plan ao view partly broken" away, of the" device, showingthe releasing pawls, Fig. '3 .isa side viewv partly broken away toshowthe roller, clutch. Fig. 4, is a perspective detail of the dogging hook;Fig. 5 isa detail cross-section at thestop' latch. Fig. 6 is a isattached. v

- In the present embodiment of my -invention 2 represents 'a shaftadapted to be driven by any suitable source of power, as a gas engine,not shown, but such, for in stance, as vis commonly employed inthepropulsion of vehicles.

In self-propelled vehicles employing intern'al combustion, engines thecommon pro-i endure in starting upthe engine is to man ually crank it bymeans, usually provided for that purpose, andin thisinvention thereisiconnec'ted to the shaft 2-1m automatic starting de'vice, indicatedasat 3'," and which comprises ashiftable collar 4' mounted upon theshaft2 and havingradial teeth 5 formedupon onaof its fgijees,- These teeth-5are adapted to engage. with complementary 5'5 vteeth 6 formed upon an.adjacent end of a fixed clutch member 7 on the shaft 2.

' Specification of Letters Patent. Patefited 4 1 1191111 1 filed ama,1911. Serial no. 610,839.

California, have. invented new and useful,

parts,

detail of the ring towhich the drive spring being connected to 'one ,endof a rod 22, by

ameter than the fixed clutch member 7 and normally thrust intoengagement with the teeth 6 by an expansion spring 8 reactive upon adisk 9, forming one side othehous'- ing of the starting device 3:,

Feb. 13, 1912,.

rnrnnrorrion collar 4 is .of somewhat larger di- 7 The slidabl'e clutchcollar 4 ma be -pro videdwith a flange, as at 10,'wn1ch:fmaybe pressedoutwardly by the spring 8 againsta- J wall 11 of the starting device.Secured to ,the periphery of the clutch collar 4. is a spring orappropriate device 12, the outer end of 'WhiQh is connected to a ring 13having a chamber 14, which is semi-circular in cross-sectional. area,and which is mountedwith a limited amount of play upon atrans- 7 versepin 15 preferably made triangular in cross-section at the portionembraced by't he' member 13'. The pin 15 is provided at suit ing andthere is also fixed upon the pin 15 a latch or bolt member 18 adapted tobe Pmlected circumferentially through the 1 sol lindrical drum'19, whichis attached to the disk 910i the. casing.,

If desi fed, a removable plate 20 maybe securedto the drum 19 fort-heprotection of i the mechanism. a I v When the spring 12- is unwound, orin other words, released from tension, it. allows the connection'l l tomove the pin 15 in its bearings androck the latching member-18 so.

that its outer end-will project through the;

drum 19 and come into engagementwith a movable: detent 21, which is hereshown as teeth 5 and 6 intermesh, and if the engineshaft 2 is beingdriven, power will be transmitted through :the fixed member 7 toturn'collar; 4' and thus wind the spring 12' with sufficient force to carrythe drum 19 and its associated pins around simultaneously with,

.' andizn the direction'of rotation'of, the shaft. I

' 2 until the locking bolt 18 encounters the external abutment 21. Whenth'ebolt 18 has engaged'the abutment member 21, the rotae tion ofthedrumflWfi-interruptedhnd the continued rotation of the shaft 2with {it-s"r, m ber"; .f therwindsthe-spring 12 inthrough the periphery faces 28of the hub 26..

has been wound to a predetermined tension,

it will draw down the upper end of the spring and its connection 14,thus rocking the pin 15 and pulling the bolt 18 out of engagement withthe restraining abutment 21. Having thus placed the spring 12 undertension and its release having been automatic by the withdrawal of thelocking bolt 18 tension of the spring 12 will be exerted to pull thedrum. l9 circumferentially about the shaft 2; and in order to preventthis premature unwinding ofthe spring 12 after it has been wound by itsshaft 2, there is formed upon one side of the casing disk 9 acylindrical flange 24 having a smooth concentric interior wall 25,. Uponthe shaft 2 is keyed a fixed hub 26, upon the exterior periphery ofwhich is mounted a plurality of friction devices, here shown as rollers27 adapted to ride upon the eccentric cam sur- Spaces 29 are thus formedaround the periphery of the hub 26.

which will allow the rollers 27 to be disen' gaged from the surfaces ofthe adjacent members 26-24, but the eccentric surfaces 28 of the hub 26are such that when the drum 19' tends to move in the same directionabout the hub,26 as the rotation of the shaft 2, the anti-frictionmembers 27 will become effective to cause the two and thereafter totravel After the starting device has been in "stalled in position on'theshaft 2, the latter is given its initial rotation, 4

by any suitable means, as by cranking or otherwise, to first start theengine, and after this has been accomplished the spring 12 of thestarting device can be automatically wound during the rotation of theengine shaft 2, as has been hereinbefore stated.

When the operator wishes to automatically start the rotation of theshaft 2 from the idle position, he shifts the collar 4 inwardly by'meansof an appropriate lever 30 fulcrumed at 31 upon suitable hearings in thevehicle. The lower end of the lever 30 is forked and provided withoppositely disposed abutment faces 32, which will swing in and encounterthe teeth 5 of the collar4 and thus prevent its reverse revolution-aboutthe shaft 2, as it is disengagedfrom the re: straining teeth 6 of. thefixed member 7. When the lever 30 is rocked sufficiently to carry theteeth 5 of the shiftable collar 4 clear of the member 7, the force ofthe spring 12 exerted upon the pin 15 will pull the easing or drum 19 inthe direction of the normal rotation of the shaft 2, causing thefriction rollers 27 to automatically embrace the hub portion 26 and thusmechanically and autoof the drum 19, the

elementsto interlock uniformly to gether.-

. housing secured to other end of the spring,

clutch member secured upon the shaft, havi As before stated, the spring12 is designed" to be wound to :a suflicient tension to give the shaft 2a sufiici'ent number of rotations, as three or more, to start theengine. Thelever gagement with the collar 4 by means of the spring orother suitable device 33.

The band brake 23 is provided as an auxiliary means for preventing therotation of the shaft 19 in the event that the locking elements shouldbecome temporarily'inoper: ative; the brake 23 enabling the operator tomanually control the rotation of the drum 19 when the spring 12 is woundby connection to the shaft 2.

An import-ant feature ofthe present invention is the provision of meanswhereby be readily and easily conthe device can 30 is normally withdrawnfrom enbeing mechanically nected and disconnected to a shaft, and to paccomplish this I have shown these means in the present instance ascomprising a short section of shaft 34 which is threaded at 35 on eachendand also transversely slotted, as at 36, The adjacentend of theengine shaft 2 is provided with an interlocking portion,

36 adapted to be inserted into a slotted part of the sectional shaft 34and the two contiguous or abutting ends of shafts 2 and 36 safely lockedby means of internally threaded sleeves 37 adapted to be threaded on theportions 35. p

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is a 1. The combination of a driven shaft, a

clutch hub keyed upon said shaft, a flanged disk adapted to drive saidhub in one direc tion, friction'rollers interposed between the peripheryof said hub and the inner surface of the flange of the disk, a casingremovably attached to the flanged side of the disk, a the other side ofsaid disk, a spring inclosed in said housing, a

pin supported adjacent the periphery of the.

housing and to which one end of said spring is connected, a collarhaving radial teeth upon one of its faces slidably mounted upon saidshaft and proj ecting inwardly into the aforesaid housing and havingattached the a complementary 2. The combination of a driven shaft, a

clutch hub keyed upon said shaft, a flanged disk adapted-to drive saidhub in one direcperiphery of said hub andfthe'inner' surface of theflange of-thedisk, a casing remov-x ably attached to the flanged side ofthe toffmss tion, frictionroller's interposed betweenthe disk, a housingsecured to the other side of said disk, a spring-inclosed insaidhousing,

a pin supported adjacent the periphery of" the hous ng and-to which oneend-of said,

spring is connected, a collar having. radial teethupon one of its facesslidably'mounted the shaft, having teeth adaptedto engage with the teethof said'collar a spring hear ing against-one si'de'bf the" flanged-diskand normally e'fiective'to thrust the toothed col-i lar intoengagementwith the clutch mnm ber, means for restraining the housing while 7 themainspring is being wound, and means for disengaging the slidableclutchcollar.

' 3. The combination of a driven shaft, a

clutch hubkeyedupon said shaft, a flanged disk adapted todrive said hubin one direce t'ion, friction rollers interposed between the:

Y periphery of said hub andthe inner. surface of -the.flange of thedisk,-a -casing remov-' ably" attached to the;- flanged side of thedisk, a housing secured to the other side of said disk, a brakeoperative upon said housing, a spring-inclosed in said housing,- .a

p111 supported adjacent the peripherygofn the. housing and towhich oneend of said spring connected, a collar. having radial teeth upon one ofits faces slidably mounted upon said shaft and projecting inwardly into,the aforesaidYhousing and having at-' tached theother'end ofthe spring,a corn- 'plementaryclutch member secured 'upon the shaft, having teethadapted to engagewith the teeth of said collar, a spring hear? ingagainst one side of the flanged disk and normally effective to-thrustthe toothed 001- having projections adapted to -engage the teeth of saidcollar "to prevent its rotation when disengaged from its complementaryclutch.

4. A device comprising a driven shaft and a power conservinginstrumentality 'com prising a toothed shiftable collar slidable uponsaid shaft, a-restrai'ning lever engageable with said collar, a flexiblemember secured to. said collar,.a housing for said member to whichit isalso connected, means for imparting power to said 1nstrumentality,saidmeans including a toothed member fixed upon said driving shaftcotiperativewith the shiftable collar, a brake operative upon thehousing, and an automatic re-v when said member is sufiicientlytensioned;

member, said device comprising a rockable pin secured toone end of theflexible member. andcarrying a tiltable pawl engageable with an abutmentand releasable therefrom 'when lsaid member is sufliciently tena powerconserving instrumenta-lity com-. prising-a toothed 's-hiftablecollarloose upon said shaft, a flexible member secured to said collar,and a housing-forsaid member to which it. :is also-fconnected, meansfor'impartmg power to said instrumentality, said means including atoothed member fixed upon said driving shaft cooperative withthefshiftajblecollar, means whereby the stored energy of the flexiblemember may be transmitted to -initially turn the shaft- I'froma'position of rest andan automatic releasing device, connected tosaid flexible rnember, said device comprising a'rockable .pin secured toone end of the flexible mem-- her and carrying a tiltable pawlengageable with an abutment and'releasable therefrom 6. A devicecomprising a driven shaft anda power conservlng lnstrumentality ablewith saidlcollar, a flexible member secured tosaidlcoll'ar, anda housingfor said member to which it is also connected, means for impartingpowerto said instrumental v Yity, saidmeans including a toothed member"fixed upon said driving shaft cooperative with the shiftable collar,and means whereby hub; secured upon said shaft, friction de- 'comprisinga toothed shiftable collar loose uponsaid shaft, a restraining leverengage:

the stored energy of the flexible memberp vices interposed between theinner surface of said'flange Land the peripherypf said hub, saidfriction devices being normally lar into engagementwith the clutchmember, vand-means for disengagingthe slidable clutch collar, said meansincluding a lever able with said collar, a flexible member secured tosaid collar, and a housing for said .member to which it isalso'connected, meansfor imparting power to said instrumentality, saidmeans including a toothed mem-' b'er' fixed upon said driving shaftcooperativewith the shiftable collar, means whe'reby the stbred energyof the flexible member may be transmitted to initially turn theshaft'from a position of rest, said means in: eluding a clutchcomprising a flange formed on a part of the housing, a clutch hub se-'65 leasing device connected to said .flexible' curedupon said shaft,andfriction devices interposed between the inner surface of said flangeand the periphery of said hub, said friction devices being normallyineffective when the shaft is turned independently of the housing, aspring interposed between a part of the housingand the shiftable collarnormally effective to shift the latter into' said means including atoothed member fixed upon said driving shaft cooperative with theshiftable collar, means whereby the stored energy of the flexible membermay be transmitted to initially turn the shaft from a position of rest,said means includ-.

ing a clutch comprising a flange formed on a part of the housing, aclutch hub secured upon said shaft, and friction devices interposedbetween the inner surface of said flange and the peripheryof said hub,said friction devices being normally ineffective when the shaft isturned independently of the housing, a spring interposed between a partof the housing and the shiftable collar normally effective to shift thelatter into engagement with the fixed clutch member, said fixed clutchmember being adapted to rotate the shiftable collar when the shaft ispower driven to place the flexible member under tension, means,for'preventing the housing from rotating in the direction of rotation ofthe shaft when the winding members are intermeshed and a leverengageable with the collar.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my lllndij'i the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses:

JOHN-J. OLEARY.

Witnesses: I

F. A. PETRAY, F. E. MAYNA D.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Batents, I

Washington, D. G.

